Category Archives: OTHER

Notre Histoire, Bourgueil AC, Domaine de L’Oubliée, Loire, France, 13% abv, 2011

This is a wine made by Xavier Courrant who used to work in Paris as a wine retailer.  In 2009 he purchased 6 ha of vines (five Cabernet Franc and one Chenin Blanc) in Bourgueil near Saint-Patrice and went to … Continue reading

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Domaine Jules Desjourneys, Moulin-à-Vent, Cru Beaujolais, France, 2009, 13.5% abv.

Moulin-à-Vent is one of the most special of the Beaujolais crus and the wine can most closely resemble fine Burgundy when aged.  In fact, this bottle doesn’t even mention Beaujolais on the label but instead, refers to red ‘Burgundy’. Make … Continue reading

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Cachaça Envelhecida, Reserva do Gerente, Brazil, 42% abv, C$18

Here is a drink you don’t see every day.  In fact, in our market on Canada’s west coast, there is only one cachaça available – and it’s not this one. What exactly is cachaça?   Is it rum?  Well, not … Continue reading

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Lammershoek, Lam, White, Paardeberg, WO Swartland, South Africa, 2012, 10.5% abv.

This was an awesome South African addition to The Drinking Group‘s afternoon get together. The bottle got us all excited just for starters being a Lillet lookalike.  Lammershoek dry farms some 40+ year old bush-trained vines on granitic soils.  The 2012 vintage … Continue reading

Posted in Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, OTHER, South Africa, Viognier, WHITE | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Domaine Serene, Pinot Noir, Two Barns Vineyard, Dundee Hills AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2010, 13.7% abv, US$85

The usual course of action in Oregon’s wine country has been for some of Burgundy’s most renowned winemakers to pick up and put down stakes in the (now) famous Willamette Valley.  Take for example the Drouhin family and their 1980s move to the … Continue reading

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La Guita, Manzanilla, Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín Bodega, Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO, Spain, 15% abv, C$23

This Sherry comes with a little string draped across the neck of the bottle – apparently signifying a guitar string and hence the name, La Guita. It’s aged under a thick layer of flor (or yeast) near the coast at the … Continue reading

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Graham Beck, Cabernet Sauvignon, The Game Reserve, W.O. Western Cape, South Africa, 2011, 14.5% abv, C$19

The Western Cape is a very large geographical unit that encompasses most of the eastern wine lands of South Africa – including the Breede River Valley, the Coastal Region, Klein Karoo and Olifants River.  It’s massive.  Enormous.  And there’s a lot … Continue reading

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Old Vines Riesling, Sperling Vineyards, Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, BC, 2012, C$32

In June 2014 we were in Normandy and spent a day with Emmanuel Camut, one of three Camut brothers and the sixth generation of their family making premium Adrien Camut Calvados on land they’ve owned since the 1800s.  Emmanuel was intrigued by … Continue reading

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Samantha, Syrah, Cerqueira Vineyard, Okanagan Crush Pad Winery, Oliver, BC, 2013, 13.6% abv.

This wine was produced by the 2013 Vancouver International Wine Festival’s Sommelier of the Year winner, Samanatha Rahn as part of the Okanagan Crush Pad Winery’s wine campus program.  Held in conjunction with the BC Hospitality Foundation, sale proceeds fund a … Continue reading

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Qupé, Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara, California, 14.5% abv, 2005

When I started planning the brief trip to Santa Barbara, I also began to plot my assault on a bottle of locally produced Qupé.  It’s challenging to find in my corner of the world and this winery owned by winemaker Bob Lindquist … Continue reading

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